The first film adaptation of Susan Cooper's acclaimed "The Dark Is Rising Sequence", the picture focuses on an ordinary boy named Will Stanton, the last member of a group of immortal warriors fighting the forces of the Dark named the "Old Ones". Through a series of mysterious clues, he later discovers that the Dark once again rises and it's all up to him to save the future of the world.

Lined up alongside Frances Conroy and Alexander Ludwig in the cast, McShane will portray Merriman Lyon, one of the Old Ones who serves as Stanton's mentor and shield. Filming is scheduled to begin this month in Romania with David Cunningham helming from John Hodge's script and Marc Platt producing.